Hamilton's Pamphlets

Where, oh where, has Alexander been?

Hey, it's Christmas.  The little pamphleteers are off from school.  I'm on leave.  Been doin the family thing.  Having a great time and a spectacular Holiday (the whole governor's race thing, not withstanding).

Once again we are blessed more than we can ever imagine as Mrs. Hamilton's Pamphlets tells me that there is yet another little pamphleteer on the way. 

Yes, it's true.  Red state Natalism is alive and well with us!  That will make 5 little pamphleteers (assuming it's not twins!).  Some folks may be wondering and the answer is no.  We're Presbyterian.

A mere 18 years until we have another Republican vote!

Time to go celebrate further with my ever enlarging family! 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!!!

How the Democrats Stole Christmas

Literally.  There are elements within the Democrat Party that truly believe that our Constitution guarantees freedom FROM religion.  The reality is that we are guaranteed freedom OF religion.  Yet there are those secularist, athiest, intellectualists on the left pushing an agenda that removes Christ from Christmas and Christmas from the public square. 

Many of the Top Dogs of Blogging are tackling this issue.  Hugh Hewitt (go check out Hugh, too many links to list them all) and Jim Geraghty of NRO's Kerry Spot...when are they going to rename that?!...  (here, here and even a little here), Deacon at Power Line,  Jeff Jarvis at BuzzMachine, the list goes on and on and on...

My view from the "cheap seats".  The snobbish elitists, be they secularists, athiests, intellectual know-it-alls, or whatever should not hold the rest of us hostage.  Somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 to 80 percent of Americans consider themselves Christain or hold Christian beliefs.  This is not a case of government forcing Christianity on the small yet VERY vocal minority.  This is the intolerance and bigotry of the minority shouting down the beliefs of the majority.  This annoying and easily offended minority don't want a secular society/government, they want an antiseptic society/government.  [I'm sure that someone, somewhere will accuse me of setting up a strawman in that previous assertion and then knocking the stuffing out of it.  I say prove me wrong before accusing me of using "strawmen".] 

People who are easily offended by the religious and/or Christmas displays and references at Christmas time must be some sort of a strange combination of the nerdy kid that never "fit in" and got picked on alot at school, the Grinch and Mr. Potter (from "It's a Wonderful Life" - my personal favorite Christmas Movie, the old black and white Frank Capra one with Jimmy Stewart NOT the remake).  There is just something wrong with them.  Often it is wrong in a mean, capricious "I want everyone to be as miserable as I am" kind of way.  America as a country and Americans in general are just not that way.  Americans are a positive people.  We have been since the begining. 

The nattering naybobs of negativism just need to pipe down.  The silent majority has been silent too long on this and other matters relating to behavior and morality in this great country.  There is a fresh wave of conservatism sweeping the country, most likely as a part of post-election empowerment and euphoria.  It's a good thing and it's about time.

Break. Break.

New, but related topic:

Now if I can just get HGTV to stop doing makeovers, etc. on gay couples homes and landscapes... getting really tired of explaining to the kids that "there is no mommy in that house"...  Unlike the screeching banshees on the left, however, I don't wan't HGTV yanked off the air.  Rather than watch the gay episodes, I just change the channel.  Now before you get your underwear all in a bunch and scream homophobe, I'm not.  What consenting adults do in the privacy of their own home is their own business.  I just don't feel like I should get 30 minute glimpses into their fantasy jacuzzi makeover or whatever.  Homophobe?  No.  Anti-gay?  Not really.  Believe homosexuality is wrong? Yes.  Just because I believe it's wrong and I am against it doesn't make me evil.  For those who are "socially liberal"  or just plain liberal, you can stop screaming and climb down off the kitchen table now (your kids are watching you and they're ready to dial 9-1-1).

Have to run out for some last minute gift exchanging (Mrs. Hamilton's Pamphlets and I bought the same gifts for two of the little pamphleteers...Ooops!  Great minds think alike!!).  I'll continue the thread of Dems stealing Christmas with the Washington State Dems/King County/WA State Supreme Court Ripping off the Governor's race...  Gotta run!

Tree Blogging Addendum

Duane of The Forest for the Trees wins hands down in the following categories:  Age of tree (800+ years), height of tree (approx 205 feet) and tree diameter (about 8 feet), however, the decorations are...how shall we say... a little on the plain side.  Seriously, some big trees.  We'll wait for Christmas Eve to see the smaller decorated version.

Hugh Hewitt posted a link to Clay Calhoun for the most inspiring tree this season: I'm dreaming of an ORANGE Christmas (maybe we can get some of these to put up down in Olympia...)

And... maybe Nin should hang an ornament on the cat and get a picture... need a new word for the cat/tree blogging combo though...

UPDATE:  Nin comes through, it's only a bow on the cat, but Christmascatblogging has begun.  Go ahead Instapundit (anl all those big site meter number/huge links "higher being" blogs) blog about those michelins all you want...

Christmas Tree Blogging

No Catblogging.  No Tire Blogging.

Just say NO, to such nonsense.

Tis the season...for CHRISTMAS TREE BLOGGING!!!

Timothy Goddard at Flag Of The World is leading the charge.  So you can jump into the spirit of the season and blog of decorated conifers...or, you can be a lemming and follow the big dogs like Instapundit, Captain's Quarters, Althouse, etc. and blog about felines and radials....Keep in mind, however, that the TIME blog of the year Powerline is Christmas Tree Blogging...

Come on, you know you want to!  Just get the digital camera out and do it!

Ninme gets the exception, cause she has always catblogged and she is using MY tree (Check it Out) for tree blogging (next year you're on your own Nin...)

Odyssey Update

Final leg of the final leg.  First flight delay... only 30 minutes.  They have wi-fi throughout the whole airport at San Francisco, which is very cool.  You have to PAY for it, which isn't so cool...Only $9.99, not the end of the world, still it would be better if it was FREE (or at least some one else paid for it).

Airport clubs can be pretty cool.  The Admiral's Club at Dulles is very fancy.  Wood paneled, very nice.  Coffee and munchies suck there though, always have.  The Boardroom at Seattle ROCKS, great food, great wine and FREE wi-fi.  Boardroom at San Francisco is OK.  Kinda small, snacks and munchies are pretty lame and now they are telling me that they close 30 minutes before boarding starts on my flight.  Argh, guess that 30 minute delay will bite me after all...

So, in the last 24 hours I will have crossed the U.S. twice and gone from Seattle to San Francisco and I'm about to go back.  That's roughly 6000 air miles.  I only needed about 5500 to maintain the all powerful (and ego fulfilling) MVP status.

Hey, you know that means I only need 9500 miles to get GOLD status.  Gotta go...  must check Alaska Air website... that's what like two trips from miami to seattle and back?  hmmm...

Hamilton's Illiad and Odyssey

Airport blogging.  So far today been to Washington DC and back.  I board in 10 minutes for the last leg of the Odyssey for a round trip to San Francisco.

Why you might ask?

It's December.

Uh-huh.....

Frequent flier status.  Got to rack up those miles and I was just short of keeping my MVP status... so, off I go to rack up miles.  I thought I would be the only nutjob doing this.  Not so.  I've met a half a dozen people doing the same thing!!!

Who knew?  Oh well, I'm contributing to the economy and helping bail out the airline industry....yeah, that's it.  It's my patriotic duty.  Yeah.

OK, I probably am just plain nuts, but at least I get to be nuts in first class...got to go catch a plane!

Washington Recount Math, The Sequel

I started to do this as an update to yesterday's post: Washington Recount Math, but the more I wrote, the more I wanted this to be a separate post.

Stefan provided some higher math in the comments to yesterday's post last night.  I had pointed out that the 561 "found ballots" in King County were conveniently just enough to give Ms. Gregoire a narrow 2 vote victory.  Stefan wrote to tell me that it turns out that as of yesterday there were 577  "wrongly disqualified ballots".  Using his superior math skills Stefan determined that the 577 ballots should yield a 106 vote advantage for Ms. Gregoire in King County. 

Strangely, Dino Rossi had a 106 vote advantage as of about 5:00 pm yesterday, with 32 of 39 counties reporting in.  Proving once again that their math skills suck like a Hoover (sorry but I'm still not sold on Dyson) the Dems managed to manufacture a TIE.  Not a "virtual tie" or a "statistical tie", but a real no kidding they have the same number of votes tie.

Using my questionable math talent, and my numbers from yesterday (mostly cause I didn't save that spreadsheet), that leaves six counties left to report and Rossi has averaged around a 2 net vote gain per county, so it looked like a 12 vote win for Rossi.

But wait, on my way to work today while listening to KVI (AM 570) and Kirby Wilbur, I hear that yesterday's number was 573 not 577 and that King County has "found" 22 MORE ballots bringing the grand total to 595.  I think the math still holds up, but even if it doesn't, you can count on King County to come up with a few more ballots to pad Gregoire's margin.

Using Stefan's numbers from yesterday, that would result in 21 two party votes.  Use the 60/40 split numbers and GUESS WHAT?! It gives Gregoire 13 votes, or a 1 vote margin of victory.  Does it get any more transparent than this?  Every time the math goes against Gregoire, King County "finds" just enough ballots to eke out a Gregoire win.

Last night at Sound Politics Stefan Sharkansky started calling King County "Ukraine County".  I think that is an insult to Ukraine.  At least in the Ukrainian elections nearly everyone condemned them as invalid and corrupt (gratefully, Jimmy Carter didn't weigh in).  Here, no one seems to want to step up and call it what it appears to be:  FRAUD.  How else can anyone explain that King County keeps "finding" just enough ballots to push their candidate over the top.  Sorry, but I just don't believe that it is coincidence.  Maybe it's time to get fitted for my tinfoil hat...  Maybe not...

Other recommended reading:

Sound Politics (Stefan Sharkansky & Jim Miller)

Josef's Public Journal (Josef - everybody's favorite Dinocrat)

Flag Of The World (Timothy Goddard)

Pull On Superman's Cape (Mac - be prepared for HEAVY math)

Washington Recount Math

This is me doing "back of the dirty envelope math".  I am not an engineer or mathematician or statistician.  You want REAL math with Phd level explanations check out Stefan Sharkansky on Sound Politics or Mac at Pull On Superman's Cape or Timothy Goddard at Flag of The World .  If you're looking for nuts n bolts "this is what it looks like to me" math you've come to the right place.

I'm sure that Tim or Stefan or Mac will correct me if I am wrong (and I could very easily be) but here's how I see it:

24 of 39 counties have reported their recounts.  Rossi has picked up an additional 46 net votes (that means votes gained by Rossi and votes lost by Gregoire for a net gain or loss).  That means as of yesterday evening Rossi's lead was 88 votes.  Since 24 of 39 counties have reported, that means we have 15 counties left to report.  Since King County is whacked, we'll leave them off that total and go with 14 remaining counties.  Rossi averaged just shy of 2 net votes gained per county (1.92).  That includes the counties that had zero change to get that average.  Assuming the same average net vote gain over the remaining 14 counties in consideration gives us a net vote gain of 27 (actually 26.83, but since a fraction of a person can't vote - except possibly in King County - I rounded it up).  Add the 27 to the 88 already in and you get a 115 vote lead for Dino Rossi.

Now, let's look at King County.  Since they already did "a partial hand recount", I would expect their change to have been very, very small - maybe even zero.  Then they come up with 561 votes that were "erroneously disqualified".  Many are already arguing that these votes cannot be counted based on the WA State Supreme Court ruling announced this morning, I'm not so sure.  I hope that is the case, but assuming the Dems prevail in King County on this issue (and they probably will).  Here's how the numbers break down:  Gregoire's advantage in King County over Dino Rossi has been about 60/40.  In applying that split to the 561 votes, it looks like Gregoire needs about 60.5% to a Rossi 39.5% to eke out a slim 2 vote victory.  Yes, you read that right.  Out of nearly 3 million votes cast, King county has managed to "discover" just enough ballots to push Gregoire over the top.  Here we go:

88 vote lead already in.  27 vote gain in remaining counties (excluding King).

That's  a 115 vote lead for Rossi.

561 "discovered ballots".  60.5% for Gregoire = 339 (rounded down) and 39.5% for Rossi = 222 (rounded up).

Add Rossi's 115 vote lead with the gained 222 votes and you get 337 votes.

Gregoire gets 339 of the 561 "discovered ballots". 

That's 2 MORE than Rossi.  Gregoire wins by 2 votes!  Bet they won't call that a tie!

If the remaining counties (other than King) have more zero changes or result in net gains for Gregoire the picture only gets worse.  If Rossi fails to get at least 39.5% of the 561 votes it only gets worse.  Say neither candidate picks up or loses votes in those 14 counties and the King County split goes 70/30 in Gregoire's favor.  She wins by about 136 or so votes...

After the mandatory recount, Gregoire and the Dem's were calling Rossi's 42 vote win "a virtual tie".  I have a virtual reality for them.  "Discovering" these 561 ballots is leading our state to "virtual anarchy".  If Gregoire and the Dems succeed in stealing this election, their only legitimate claim can be "Governor of Seattle and King County".

Again, out of nearly 3 million votes cast, King county comes up with precisely the number (based on this election's average vote split) that Gregoire needs to get the win.  This goes beyond incompetence and sloppiness.  I'd like to see Stefan or one of the other math wiz kids tell me the probability of finding the EXACT number of votes needed to steal the election.  What are those odds?  A mere coincidence, I think not.

Christmas Tree Blogging

Timothy Goddard over at Flag Of The World is Christmas Tree Blogging.  Since so much of my time lately has been involved in decorating said conifer, I'm in.

Pretty decent tree, I think.  Lights and train were done by me and the youngsters.  Decorations by Mrs. Hamilton's Pamphlets.

Bet you're wondering about that train... Lionel, Navy switcher, with mini-sub (of course).

Here's a close up of the train. 

GO NAVY!!!

One of the street lamps in the picture is from my Dad's Lionel train from the late 40's/early 50's (yes, I still have the train and yes, it still runs).

For anyone who cares on the final(?) version (it's never final till Mrs. Hamilton's Pamphlets says it is) of the house decor, here it is:

Josef's Editorials Of Many Colors

Everyone's favorite Dinocrat, Josef, has put together an amazing file of Washington State Newspaper Editorials in Adobe Acrobat.  It has 15 different editorials and one editorial cartoon.  Incredible reading.  Mac over at Pull On Superman's Cape also has it posted.

Bottom line:  No newspaper in the state endorses the Dems lawsuit heard today in the state supreme court.

It's like in an old spy movie.  The Dems have pushed the self-destruct button and the countdown has started.  The monotonous voice of doom is counting down to ulitmate destruction.  However, unlike the movies, no one is rushing in to save the Dems from themselves.  Every day this goes on Washington becomes more Red.  Make no mistake, this WILL cost Maria Cantwell and the Dems a Senate seat in 2006.